Business Enterprises Specialist

The Tennessee Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services is accepting resumes for the position of Business Enterprises Specialist. The program seeks to provide blind persons with remunerative employment, enlarging the economic opportunities of the blind, and stimulating the blind to greater efforts in striving to make themselves self-supporting. Under the general supervision of the Business Enterprises Supervisor, the Business Enterprises Specialist is primarily responsible in providing support in the business operations of assigned managers, providing programmatic expertise, and ensuring state and federal compliance in the operations of the BE Program while maintaining a high level of accountability.

The BE Specialist is responsible for developing and educating property management, blind vendors, officials, and vending companies about the requirements of the law and TBE regulations. The position is also responsible for the management of an equipment warehouse. Finally, the BE Specialist is responsible for identifying and surveying all potential new locations and maintaining a record of all assigned properties.

• Review merchandise inventory, financial records, licenses, insurance, asset management, and other applicable information as it pertains to the business operation of a facility.
• Assess the quality, professionalism, overall environment, customer service levels, and management skills of each facility operation
• Meet with Commissary Subcommittee and Training Subcommittee as needed and prepare a quarterly report of activities to be shared with the elected committee of blind vendors.
• Prepare/review and execute permits/contracts, amendments, or addendums in reference to commissary operations with DHS Legal Services.
• Evaluate the success of commissary facilities and facility managers through onsite visits and review of financial records to determine if profitable operation.
• Estimate sales projections or profit potential for new locations to determine if location should be recommended for the program.
• Meet with potential new facilities and travel to jails/facilities statewide and complete site visits/walkthrough.
• Market the Business Enterprises program to create more opportunities for licensed blind managers.